Parents keep children off school in test protest

Parents are keeping their children off school for the day in a protest about primary tests in England, the BBC reported on Tuesday.

More than 40,000 parents have signed a petition calling for a boycott of primary school tests, which are due to be taken later this month.

Parents supporting the Let Our Kids Be Kids campaign have complained of a damaging culture of over-testing.

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan says taking pupils out of school "even for a day is harmful to their education".

It remains uncertain how many primary school children are being kept off school across the country, but a social media campaign has been urging parents to take children on educational activities for the day.

About 500 people gathered at Preston Park in Brighton, including children's laureate Chris Riddell.

"We should be turning children into readers with the pleasure that gives rather than relying on a testing culture," said Mr Riddell.

The campaign organisers say children are "over-tested, over-worked and in a school system that places more importance on test results and league tables than children's happiness and joy of learning".

They have raised concerns about the impact of primary tests, so-called Sats tests, taken by seven-year-olds and 11-year-olds, which are being made more difficult with changes to the curriculum.

They have challenged what they claim is a "dull, dry curriculum" based around tests.

In an open letter to the education secretary, campaigners have warned of schools becoming "exam factories" and that testing causes stress and can make young children feel like "failures".

But Education Minister Nick Gibb said tests improved standards.

"Schools should not be putting pressure on young people when taking these assessments. I've been to many schools where the children don't even know they're taking the tests, they don't have an effect on the children themselves because they have no consequences for the children," said Mr Gibb.

Claims that the tests were not worthwhile were rejected by Chris McGovern, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education.

He said that any short-term stress was worth it if in the longer term it meant that children finished school with better results.

Mr McGovern said that tests in England's schools needed to be tougher to catch up with international competitors.

"We're three years behind the Chinese at the age of 15. We are a bit of a basket case internationally.

"We've got to do something, we've got to act early, and a health check at seven is a good idea."

Source : MENA